The significance of being Dana
by pyrorescue1
Summary: PRLR:What kind of trouble will result from a simple Make-over?
1. Default Chapter

_The significance of being Dana_

By Pyrorescue1

Summary: When Dana is tired of being Plain Kelsey and Ms. Fairweather help her recreate herself.  What kind of trouble will this cause?  

Proviso: I own nothing Power rangers.  

Author's note: This is sort FO a stand alone; it takes place sometime before "From Deep in the Shadows." Still it can stand apart from the way the show actually went.  

1

Dana stood there, looking in disgust at her straight blonde hair and plain clothes.  Why was it no matter how she tried to act she was still the same old boring Dana? It was so not fair.  How was it other girls could be so pretty and not have to worry about dressing so she could fight if it was needed.  Heavens it had been ages since she'd been able to be like that.  She thought of he reason she'd started feeling like this.  She'd been sitting at a table in the common room reading over her advanced anatomy test when he'd come into the room.  

"Working hard?"   He asked pausing by her shoulder.  

"Hmm," she murmured smelling the scent of his aftershave.  Heavens it was so spicy, like Carter.  She sighed pushing that thought out of her mind.  Thinking like that would get her no where.   So you're not in training o anything this afternoon."   

"No, I was going to go out with a friend but she canceled."   He said moving over to the couch t have a seat.  

"Hmm, tough luck."   She mumbled, was that jealousy she felt spiking through her veins?  

"Yeah."   He shrugged picking up the remote.  

"So what are you going to do this afternoon?"   She asked forcing her eyes to the words on the page she'd been reading.  She couldn't look at him; she didn't want him to see her face lest she'd actually turned green.  

"I don't know, I thought I'd watch some TV or something."   He said channel surfing.  

"Hmm."   She forced her mind back from that sharp tug of jealousy.  They were friends and he'd not even mentioned a girlfriend.  But then she was just one of the gang so what did it matter?  

Now though standing in front of her mirror she wished she could be the girl he'd spend an afternoon, non ranger related with.  She wished he'd see her as more than a friend.  Still who would, she was pale with limp blonde hair and dull blue eyes, just like half of the girls in mariner Bay.  

Maybe she just needed a change, maybe a little hair die, and she could go red head or something.  Would it make that much of a difference?  

Dana then noticed just what she was wearing, pink blouse like all of the others and the same dull grey skirt she always wore.  

"Face it Mitchell your just not what guys want."  She muttered to herself.  

"Hey what's going on?" Kelsey asked coming into the room they shared.  She'd been out with Chad and Joel trying to help Joel figure out what was wrong with him.  

"You modeling?" She asked taking in her friend's stance before the mirror.  

"Oh yeah, I was just thinking. Kel do you think I look to plain?"  She asked moving away from the mirror to plop down on her bed.  

"Plain?  Dana you're an excellent fighter, a pre med student? Paramedic and a power ranger I'd say not." Kelsey sat on her own bed looking over at her friend.  What had gotten into her?

"That's not what I mean." Dana sighed picking up her small brown teddy bear.  

"Your clothes?" Kelsey asked remembering how Dana had looked at herself as she'd come through the door.  

"Yeah, look at me; I'm in this stuff day in and day out." Dana gestured to her current outfit; one Kelsey had once thought that her friend should burn.  

"It's not that bad." the yellow tank clad brunette shrugged; she didn't want her friend to feel worse than she obviously did.  

"Right, well I don't know, maybe if I were to do something with my hair and maybe…"Dana flopped back on her bed, knowing she probably sounded like a winy little girl again but what could she do?  Hell, until   she'd become a ranger she'd had very few friends.  It had even been hard learning how to get along well with the others on a personal level.  Maybe she should just give up [this and go back t her studies.  At least with it came to medicine she was on solid ground, she knew the stuff completely.    

"Dana, does this have anything to do with that really hot guy you've been eyeing since we were first rangers?" Kelsey asked her friend slyly after a minute.  

"Kelsey, what are you talking about?" Dana lifted her head not willing to fully sit up again.  

"Hello Carter." Kelsey waved her hands in the air as if it should be perfectly obvious.  

"Kel he's a friend." Dana mumbled morosely.  What was she so apparent?  

"And that's all?" The brunette asked a slim brown brow arched in query.  

"Well yeah, what would he want with a dull perfectly average girl?" Dana asked sighing in apparent depression.  

"A date." Angela Fairweather suggested hopefully.  She'd never seen Dana like this.  Her friend was usually so chipper, even when she was getting in hot water with her father.  The scientist wondered what had done this to her.  Had Carter said something? yet she knew he wouldn't, sometimes she caught the red ranger watching out for Dana on and off the battle field.  

"Ms. F?"  Dana asked sitting up and Kelsey was too looking at the bespectacled young woman in the doorway to the girl's quarters.  

"I couldn't help but hear your conversation from the hall and Dana I know for a fact that you are not plain." With a moments hesitation she moved into the room and over to the pretty girl that had been her first friend within the base.  

"How Can you say that?"  Dana asked dejectedly thinking of her image in the mirror.  

"Here, come here." the older girl said and once again Dana found herself in front of the mirror.  Then she found the scientist pulling her blond hair back from her face.  

"Maybe you could use a little body wave but your as pretty as any model."

"That's true; I know this place in town."

"You?"  

"Hey I do get dressed up from time to time."  

"Ok well I'll have to talk with your father."  Ms. Fairweather said and Dana frowned.  

"I can do it."  

"No, lets keep it just between us, it will be a surprise." The scientist grinned mischievously.  

"Ok."Dana said and with that ms. Fairweather left the girls to go find the captain.  

TBC  

***  

Chapter 1 finished, what do you think? Should I continue?  PLZ let me know.  PR1


	2. Make over magic

Chapter 2 Make over Magic

Forty five minutes later they were in the salon Kelsey had been talking about and her own hair dresser was examining Dana.  

"We were thinking a little body wave."  Ms. Fairweather told the hair stylist at body shocks as they stood with Dana seated between them.  

"Hmm, I can do that, I can make it perfectly fit her face."  Ramon nodded thoughtfully as he tilted Dana's head to the left then to the right.  

"Great."  Kelsey grinned and settled back to watch her friend work his magic on her friend.  

***  

"Now that's what I call a new look."  Kelsey grinned two and a half hours later when Dana had been shampooed, waved and styled.  

"I told you there's nothing I can't do."  Ramon smiled at her. 

"I believe it," Dana mumbled asking then as she gazed into a mirror.   "Are you sure this isn't someone else?"  Dana asked skeptically.  

"Who else has those luminous cerulean eyes?"  Ms. Fairweather asked a brow raised in question and Dana laughed, oh yes this was her indeed. She then wondered if the money her father had given her for today would be enough, she'd only grabbed a hundred and twenty, not that she'd ever spent that much in her life on cloths and girly stuff.  Most of her money usually went for books and school related stuff.  It's the reason she'd been floored by the gift from her father.  He was always saying there wasn't' enough money to get her to med school, and now he was giving that much?  

"Come on it's time for the clothing part of the day."  Kelsey said and before Dana could blink she'd paid the fifty bucks and they were heading out again.  

"Um guys I can't go shopping."  Dana said as they left the salon and Kelsey headed for a row of stores.  

"How much do you have left?"  Ms. Fairweather asked knowing but wanting Dana to see what they were ab0out to pull off.  Oh yes, she'd had to bargain shop in college so had talked it over with Kelsey and they had a plan. 

"Seventy five."  Dana admitted.  

"Great come on."  With that Ms. Fairweather was pulling her towards the shop on the end.  

"The thrift store?"  Dana asked seeing now what they were up to.  

"Oh yeah you'll be surprised what they carry."  Kelsey grinned and opened the door for her friends.  

***  

Carter knocked again on the door to the girl's quarters.  He'd been looking for Dana to see if she wanted to catch a movie with him and Joel but no matter where he looked he couldn't find her.  It was odd because nine tenths of the time she'd be in her quarters pouring over one of her text books.  

Now though as he turned away he wondered where she was.  He headed next for Ryan's quarters and found the elder Mitchell sibling napping.  Although he felt bad for waking the newest ranger he was on a mission.  

***  

The pounding on the door had Ryan sitting up with a start, he found Carter in the doorway.  Ryan was always a light sleeper.  He'd had to be growing up as he had.  

"What's going on?"  He asked gazing at the red clad man.  What would he want with him? They'd finished the last test on the cobra, and anyway it was gone.  

"You haven't seen Dana have you?" Ryan thought of rolling his eyes but why for?  If Carter couldn't admit he had a thing for her why should he care/  

"No, why?"  He asked anyway, what excuse did he have this time?  

"I've looked everywhere and I can't find her."  

 "Maybe she's with Kelsey, aren't they always together?"  Ryan offered shrugging.  True he and Dana were closer than when he'd first come back but now…  

"No, Dana's usually studying."  Carter frowned at him but Ryan wondered why if he didn't have a thing for her?  

"Oh, well haven't seen her."  He said dropping back to lay on his bed.  

"Right if you do…"  Carter began and Ryan did roll his eyes.  

"Tell her, I will."  The silver clad young man mumbled.  

"Right."  And Carter was off again.  

 ***  

"Ok here."  Ms. Fairweather said a few minutes later as she handed Dana an outfit over the fitting room's door.  

"It's perfect."  Dana murmured a few seconds later as she stepped out in the soft pink top and shorts.  It was her third outfit and it fit perfect, hugging every curve without being too snug.  

"It's not regulation."  Kelsey grinned and Dana rolled her eyes.   "Fine what about this one?"  The yellow clad girl asked handing Dana another outfit, a pair of tight black jeans and a pink tank.  

"Hmm, not bad, here these go just right with it."  Ms. Fairweather said handing Dana a pair of hair combs with little pink stones that matched the top.  

"Don't forget this."  Ms. Fairweather said handing Dana a fuzzy pink top and short jean skirt.  They'd picked every outfit so she'd still be able to fight if she had to.  And now she frowned down at her scuffed up sneakers.  True she would still have forty dollars but what shoes could she get for that?  

"Ok, now for shoes."  Ms. Fairweather said as if reading Dana's mind.  

"I have to wear sneakers; I can't fight in anything else."  Dana reminded her friends as they headed for the shoe rack along the back wall.  

"That's what you think," Kelsey murmured scanning the rows of different shoes.   "Here you are."  

"Stylish and yet workable."  Ms. Fairweather noted and Dana had to grin, her fiends were really good at this stuff.  Even the team tomboy was good at it.  She felt a little out of place a minute when she thought of just who different they were but she knew that different was the spice of life.  

Soon they were paying for the clothing and heading out into the afternoon heat.  

"Hmm, now we just need the cosmetics."  They headed to a nearby drugstore and picked up some basics.  Then they were heading to Kelsey's old place.  There Dana changed into one of the outfits and let Ms. Fairweather give her a lesson in cosmetics.  

"Ok now it's time to put it to the test."  Kelsey said and Dana sighed knowing this was the test. 

They drove to a little beachfront café near the docks in hopes that they'd run into one of their friends.  Well that and the fact too that it was a lovely day.  

"Hey ladies may I get your orders?"  A tall lanky young man asked and as they were ordering Kelsey and Ms. Fairweather were exchanging looks.  

"Hey he's not bad."  

"Kelsey."  Dana groaned.  

"What?  He's not?"  The yellow ranger defended herself.  

Dana just took in his curly red hair, his boyish good looks and she thought he was a little cute in a high school kind of way, nothing at all like Carter.  That might be a good thing.  She had a feeling that with Mark, which was what his name tag read; one would always know his thoughts.  She kept an eye on the guy as he brought their soup and then they ate.  

"I was right you are checking him out."  Kelsey declared, wiping at her shirt where she'd spilled a little of her clam chowder. 

"You should just ask him out."  Ms. Fairweather nudged Dana. 

Bringing them refills of their soft drinks the waiter smirked, glancing at Dana, for a long moment their eyes held, then he moved away to take another order. It was as if he'd caught her doing something and it was there3 secret.  

"So you did definitely catch his eye."  Kelsey burst out laughing once Mark had gone. 

"He's just a guy, no big deal."  Dana shrugged. 

"And not carter."  Ms. Fairweather noted and the table fell silent.  

"Look, it doesn't matter; Carter has never and will never be interested in me."  Dana tossed down her napkin and got to her feet.  

"Hey, woe, calm down, it's ok, I've been there."  Kelsey said catching her friends arm to keep her in her seat.  "Chad doesn't see me anymore than Carter does you."  

"Oh," Dana had never guessed that her best buddy had a thing for the blue ranger.  They were like brother and sister after all.  Yet wasn't it just like she and Carter?  Sighing the pink clad 

Girl lowered her chin into her palm and stared into the glass of cherry soda she'd ordered.  Why was it things had to be so difficult?  Why couldn't she just have one normal thing happen to her?  

"Hey he's looking at you again."  Kelsey whispered abut this time Dana didn't look up.  She just studied the bubbles in her soda.  Why did they have it so easy, just sit and wait to be drank?  Why couldn't her life be like that?  

"I'm going to go and check in."  Ms. Fairweather said and left the table while Kelsey excused herself to go to the rest room.  

"Excuse me miss?"  The voice had Dana looking up to see the waiter standing beside her seat.  She gave him a wan smile.  "I was wondering if there was anything else you'd need?"  

"No, I'm fine."  

"Well listen, I know this is forward and all but I was wondering if you'd like to go out sometime.  You know like to a movie or something."  He asked and she thought he had to be about her age if not a little younger.  His nerves were really the though, she'd never had a guy nervous with her.  Not any she'd wanted to be.  

Dana forced herself from her gloomy thoughts and tried to relax.  He was talking to her, so what if he wasn't' carter how often did any guys look at her?  Besides she needed to get over her feelings for the red rangers.  They sure as shooting weren't' getting her anywhere.  

"Sure, that sounds like a plan."  

TBC  

**    

Hmm, wonder how Carter and the others will react toDana's new look or herDate?  Well, if you'd like to know please review and let me know what you think of the chapter or the story.   


	3. unexpected reactions

Quick note, I'd like to thank those of you who've responded to this story.  It helps to know if you like this, if I'm on the write track.  

Chapter 3 Unexpected Effects 

"Well you have to admit that things are looking up."  Kelsey said as the three women stood on the lift waiting for their decent to the base.  

"Yes you already have a date."  Ms. Fairweather nodded with a little smile and Dana dind'5 even know how she felt about her date, after all she didn't even know Mark, he was a total stranger, and yet she thought a date with him might just get her over the one she really wanted.  

"Yeah."  She managed to mutter as the craft completed its downward journey.  

"Hey guys," Chad called looking up from a book he was reading.   "Where's Dana thought she was with you."  The blue ranger frowned, why was Kelsey smiling?  Then his scanned the other two women with her.  Ms. Fairweather was smiling too and the tall leggy blonde was looking puzzled.  

"She is."  Ms. Fairweather said and then his eyes widened on the blonde, could she be…  She had curly hair, her clothes were not her uniform and her face was made up.  Looking back at Kelsey he received a nod. 

The sound of footsteps had the three girls turning around. Dana's heart caught, Carter and Joel were coming.  What would they say?  What would Carter think?  

"Oh hey guys, how was your shopping trip?"  Carter asked when he spotted them.  His eyes were moving over the three, first Ms. Fairweather, then Kelsey and then…  His frown was telling and Dana felt ill.  He didn't like it.  She could see the confusion in his cobalt eyes.  

"What I'm invisible now?"  She tried to joke.  

"That's…"  Joel asked staring at the girl to.  He couldn't believe that this woman was the pink ranger, the medical student…  "What happened to you?"  He blurted and Dana's blue eyes filled with tears.  

"It's called a make over."  Kelsey put in trying to help out her friend.  She'd seen the hurt in her eyes at the way the guys had reacted, especially how Carter had responded.  

"Yeah I thought a change might be nice."  Dana managed, eternally grateful to her best friend for staunch defense. 

"Oh."  Carter mumbled as if still in confusion.  In truth he didn't know how to react to this news.  

"You don't look like you, you… pretty."  Joel stammered and this time Dana's eyes did fill with tears.  Why was Joel such a jerk?   Carter too, he just walked away.  

"Joel."  Chad hissed and Ms. Fairweather shot the green clad young man a reproachful look.  

"What? It's true."  The sky cowboy replied even as Dana fled in tears.  

"You are such a jerk!"  Kelsey growled and went after her best friend.  

Carter just stood there, still trying to take it all in.  Dana was not herself now, she was this amazing creature, not that he'd not been interest in her before but what could he say when she looked like this new her?  Too he wondered since when did she wear makeup?  

***  

Ryan was just coming out of his quarters when he heard the shouts and went on immediate alert.  What was going on?  Then he saw a pink clad streak racing towards him, face tearstained.  He didn't think just moved back, slightly and when the figure neared he caught her and pulled her into his room.  

"What's going on?"  He demanded even as he heard the feet running along the corridor.  

"Ryan just leave me alone."  The figure tried to pull away from him.  

"Dana?"  He stared into the face of his highly upset sister.  Her face was smeared with colors that he realized was makeup.  She was wearing makeup?  He'd never seen her like this; too he'd never seen her so upset.  

"What's going on?"  

"Nothing I just want…"  

In the time since he'd been back he'd not really spent all that much time with his little sister but now he felt odd, as if he should find out what was going on and why she looked like a sad clown.  

"You have to wait until your pursuer gives up."  Ryan reasoned and she knew he was right, still she didn't want to talk about it, and she just wanted to be left alone.  

Ryan saw the anger and hurt in her eyes and wondered if she and the others had had a fight, but what about?  Dana was usually so unflappable, at least in battle.  

"Want a drink?"  He asked moving over to the mini fridge in the corner near the head of the bed.  

"What?  No, I'm good."  She said looking around her brother's room, just wanting to g but having nothing else to do.  

"Right," Ryan replied and moved to sit on the desk, not the chair.  

"So, what is it you don't want to talk about?"  He asked trying not to sound too interested, if he did she might clam up even worse.  

"Nothing."  She mumbled glancing at him and then at the wardrobe.  She wondered how he'd managed to get so much clothes, and if it bothered him to have to change so much now that he was not with the demons.  

"Nothing…" he wondered if she was always so clammy when she was unhappy. 

"No, I just want…"  She began but he cut her off.  

"You know," he began leaning back on the desk top.  "We haven't talked much."  

"Ryan?"  She asked looking right at him once ore.  What was he thinking? what was he trying to do?  

"Well we haven't."  He shrugged as if to say duh.

"You… you want to?"  She stammered a little taken aback, since he'd made his mind up to stay he'd been pretty self contained.  He'd wished for a way to change that but there had never seemed a good time.  

"Yeah, we're family, not that I'm sure about anything else but when I remembered the accident…"  He closed his eyes as if trying to shake something off.  

"Ryan?"  She asked, he remembered? Moving to sit on the foot of his bed and then thought better of it, he might not want her to.  Instead she sank to the floor leaning her back against it.  

"Yeah." 

"How much did you remember?"  She asked and he thought a minute before deciding the whole truth was needed to keep this going, besides he didn't mind talking about it for some reason.  

"At first," he thought back a second and then he continued truthfully.  "Only dangling from dad's foot and then later, other stuff.' 

"Oh, I can't remember too much."  She confessed looking at her hands.  

"You were little."  He said with a shrug and then he moved, so he was sitting on the floor beside her but not quite touching.  

"I got a make over."  She said after a few minutes and he knew he'd done this right.  

"So I saw."  

"I got asked out."  She said and he felt hope, maybe Carter had finally come around.  

"You did?"  He tried to sound not too hopeful.  

"Yeah at lunch."  She replied and began toying with the hem of her top.  

"Was it Carter?"  He asked and she looked at him surprised.  

"No, he doesn't even see me."  She mumbled morosely.  

"Dana he does."  Ryan said knowing from her tone as well as all he'd seen in the past that she did like the red ranger, big time.  "He was looking for you earlier."  '

"He was?"  She asked and there was more surprise in her face, as she remembered his thwarted plans.  

"Yeah,   seemed a little confused when he couldn't find you."  Ryan admitted as if he knew more than he was telling.  

"Probably wanted a sparring partner."  She muttered, he'd always liked sparring with her, she could hold her won against him.  

"So Carter's the problem?"  Ryan said after a few minutes of silence.  

"I didn't say that."  She replied frowning defensively.  

"No, you said you got a make over and asked out by some other guy."  Ryan pointed out as if that told everything.  

"Look it doesn't matter; he doesn't see me as more than just his friend."  She bit out and there was suddenly true bitterness in her tone and eyes.  

"But you want him to." he said never having seen her son agitated outside of battling the demons.  

"What does that matter?"  She went back to the dejected tone. 

"Remember when you were trying to tell me the truth and he was looking out for you?  How many times has he been there in battle when you were in trouble?" Ryan said as if that said everything; didn't he see that was just it?  Carter didn't see her like a girl off the field.  Wasn't today a prime example of that?  

"You know what?"  Ryan said and she looked at him curious to see what else he would say about it.  

"Hmm?"  

 "Sometimes you have to take a leap of faith.  Tell him how you feel and see what he says.  If he doesn't feel the same you'll know and then you can work on getting over this feeling."  

TBC

***

Ok so there's the next installment.  What do you think?  Do you think Dana will go out with Mark after all or talk to Carter?  PLZ let me now and if you have suggestions I'm always up for those.  


	4. Oblivious

Chapter 4Oblivious

Leaving Ryan's room Dana headed to the common room where she thought she might find Carter.  She didn't.  With out a thought she headed down to the training area where he was.  

"Hey Carter!"  She called moving over t sit side saddle on an exercise bike.  

"Hey what's up?"  He asked not sure if he could look at her, she just didn't seem like the person who knew so much about him, about his childhood.  She didn't look right. 

"Carter what do you think of me?"  She asked twisting her hands together.  She was half afraid he'd laugh at her now.  

"You're nice."  He replied simply resting his arms on the handle bars.   .  

"Nice."  Talk about a kick to the gut.  

"Well yes, you help lots of people, your very patient and when one of us have a problem you come through."  Carter shrugged.  

"Oh," Well, what else did you expect him to say?  She asked herself.  She'd been sure before that Ryan  was wrong, maybe now the problem was that this hurt, knowing the truth.  "That's it?"  

"Well you're smart and…  Wait are you asking for a compliment?"  Carter asked completely confused, she was rarely unsure, unless it came to her father but this was really not like her.  

"Carter I never ask…"  God she felt like such a fool, how could she have even that he'd feel something else?  

"Then what's this all about?"  Carter asked trying to understand.  She looked really upset and he didn't even know why.  

"Nothing.  I just wondered what you think of me."  She said feeling as if she were talking to a brick wall, it's about as far as she was getting.  

"Dana is something wrong?  You've been acting odd all day.  First you go shopping and now this new look when you looked fine to begin with…"  She wanted to throw her hands into the air and scream.  

"Carter I have to go."  She said and was up and shoving passed Joel as she disappeared from sight.  

"Man you just blew that one big time."  The green ranger told his buddy taking a seat n the notiless.  

"Huh?"  Carter frowned looking at him.  Now what was Joel up to?  

"Carter man she was practically sending you an invitation."  Joel said shaking his head at his total obliviousness.  

"Joel what are you talking about?"  Carter was tired and didn't feel like playing games. He felt slightly out of whack, as if the rest of the town knew something he didn't.  

"Man Dana's been nuts about you since we started out here."  It did slightly baffle the sky cowboy how a brave and competent guy like Carter could be so unaware but he apparently was.  Since he'd been there a time or two he took pity on him.  

"She has?"  Carter frowned; he'd had a thing for Dana for as long as he could remember but to think that she liked him too…

"Didn't you wonder why she was asking what you thought of her?"  Joel broke into his thoughts.  

"I thought it was just some insecure girl kind of thing."  Carter said honestly.  Dana was confident and he had never seen her like that.  She'd practically been on the edge of her seat, so to speak.  

"And they say I'm clueless."  Joel rolled his eyes at his friend's sightlessness.    

"Man I just…"  Carter tried to figure this all out but it was all so crazy…   

"Look, all I know is you should tell her how you really feel."  

"What do you mean?"  Carter frowned in puzzlement.  What was Joel talking about?  ?  

"Carter we all know you're in love with her.  Well everyone but the filly herself."  Joel said hitching his trademark cowboy hat back on his head.  

"You…  I…"  Carter  was just having a little trouble getting his mind around  what he'd hoped for so long, what he'd thought he'd never hear.   "She…"  

***  

Ok, so Carter didn't like it, well she didn't care.  Dana was going to have fun; this was a date wasn't it?  Her first date besides Carter Grayson was a stupid pig anyway."  

Yanking open her drawer Dana pulled out her new makeup trey and dumped it on the dresser top.  Now she was wearing the…  

"So you going to meet Chad?"  Dana asked when Kelsey came in.  

"Yep thought I should be on time."   The brown haired dare devil said putting a light coat of lip-gloss on.  

"Cool, just be careful."   Dana said adding a little more mascara.  

"I will."   Kelsey grinned.  "And Dana?"  She waited until Dana turned to face her.  "Have fun."   

"I'll do that."  Dana smiled, she just loved Kelsey. No matter what else happened her friend was always there.  "Kel?"  She called as the yellow clad girl was almost out the door.  

"Hmm?"  

"Thanks."   

"Anytime."   Kelsey called as the door slid closed behind them.  

***  

Don't you just love people who are insensible? Ok enough with my big word for the day.  LOL.  What did you think of the chapter/  Srry if it's kind of short but the next chapter should be up soon.  please r&r and let me know if you liked it, if I should continue it.  


	5. That Old Feeling

Thanks to all of you who continue to read this little brain child.  I'm glad someone else likes it.  

Particular thanks to Golden Arrow for the help with this chapter and 4.  I'm always glad for suggestions.  

Chapter 5 That Old Feeling

She was just finishing the makeup and hair preparation when Dana got another visitor.  Ryan, he knocked and she let him in, wondering what was on his mind.  He never willingly sought her out and yet this was the second time in a day.  

"Hey you look great.  What time are you meeting this guy again?" 

"In about twenty minutes."  Dana said checking to be sure her makeup was perfect.  

"I'm guessing that the talk with Carter didn't go so good."  He said and their was a groaning as he sat down on the bed.  

"No, he says that I look silly, not at all like me."  She sighed and flopped down on the stool.  

"Well Dana it is a pretty big change."  Ryan reasoned and glancing in the mirror she sighed.  

"I know, I just feel like everyone wants me to be this little girl, everyone's best friend."  She admitted glancing at herself in the mirror.   

"Well all I know is you should do what makes you happy."  

"Ryan?"  She asked a little surprised by his now relaxed tone of voice.  Glancing back she almost smiled at the sight of him reclining on her bed.  He looked so at home.  Without thinking she ran over, pouncing on him and hugging her big brother tightly.  

  "What's this for?"  He asked surprised by this show of affection, it was the first physical one he'd ever had.  Not that he minded but she was supposed to be more worried about the date.  

"I love you."  She said and then as if only now realizing what she said she jumped back.  He saw the fear and uncertainty come into her pretty blue eyes and didn't want to see that, not from her, not now.  

"Better go on sis and get ready we have to meet this guy at the docks in ten."  He said amused by her reaction and his own.  

"Ten oh my…" and she was up, running around like a nut.  

*** 

Carter watched as the blonde and her brother disappeared onto the lift and felt sick, how could he have screwed everything up so badly?  God she'd been trying to tell him how she felt about him but then he'd???  

Closing his eyes Carter wished he could repeat that day.  But then he remembered the last repeated day and a shiver went through him, hell he'd never want to go through that again.  No, he'd not risk her life or those of his friends for another chance.  He'd just have to fix this, he'd wait until she got back and then…  

***  

"Nervous?"  Ryan asked and Dana nodded clutching her little purse in a death grip.  "Don't worry, you're a competent, confident woman, you'll be fine."  

"You think so?"  She asked him and he did smile at her.  God, his little sister was so innocent, totally unaware of her own power over men.  Hadn't she ever noticed how they looked at her? 

"Yeah, I know so."  He smiled at her, and she felt better, maybe he was right. Either way as the doors opened they stepped out into the fading daylight.  

They waited for about ten minutes for Dana's date to arrive and Dana began to realize something she'd not even questioned.  Why was her brother there? Why was he acting all of a sudden so brotherly? What had he been watching "our House" or something?  She was about to ask him when a red sports car pulled up.  

Ryan had a strange feeling as if something was wrong but he couldn't place it.  Yet, as he watched the red haired young man climb from behind the wheel it intensified.  There was an odd sensation emanating from the guy but what?  

***  

"Hey," Mark called and Dana felt her nerves intensify.  He had really come; he really wanted to go out with her.  She didn't know what else to say so called.  

"Hi."  Then as she felt Ryan shifting at her side she took his arm.  "Oh Mark this is my brother Ryan."  

"Hey."  Mark said looking over the other guy.  Dana didn't see any animosity or annoyance at having to meet her big brother.  

"Yeah hey."  Ryan said resigning himself to the situation.  "I have just one thing to say to you."  Stepping forward he got right up in mark's face before growling.  "You better not hurt her."  

"I won't."   Mark said meeting Ryan's eyes levelly.  

"Good, well you two have a nice night."  Ryan said and turned to go back inside the base.  

TBC

***

And so it truly begins.  What do you think?  please R and R and let me know.  


	6. 6

Author's note: Thanks to all of those who are still reading this.  Special Thanks to Dana Grayson for the help with this chapter.  I was definitely thinking the story needs more life. Hope you like this.  Azure angel, thanks too, your suggestion was great.  

Chapter6 Illusions and Revenge?  

Mark and Dana drove to a small Italian place on the Westside of town.  Over dinner they talked about things ranging from movies and books to favorite places in town.  At first Dana had felt awkward but as the evening wore on both the mundane chatter and the boy across from her had the blonde relaxing.  She didn't exactly feel as she did whenever she saw Carter but there was something, as if she'd known him for a long time.  

After they finished their meals they decided to catch a movie.  To her surprise Mark let her choose.  Usually when she went with Chad Kelsey and Joel the guys usually picked.  Still it wasn't' too bad going to see a nice Comedy.  It was more because whenever carter went with them he voted for funny over bloodshed. She wasn't' into bloodshed much either, they saw enough of that from day to day.  Now though as they sat in the theater Dana found her mind not on either the movie or her date.  It was all the way back at the base on the one man who'd not left her thoughts for more than ten all night. She wondered what he was doing.  Was he out with his friend after all?  Had he called it an early evening or decided to work out some more? 

Dana gave herself a mental shake; she was on a date, not with Carter or the gang.  She should be thinking about Mark.  Glancing over at the boy in question she saw his eyes were on the movie in front of him.    She wondered if she'd come off as an airhead with her occasional vacant stares but he didn't seem to notice or care so she shrugged that off.  

***  

"Hey man mind telling me what's with you?"  

"I'm busy Grayson."  Ryan said not looking up from his task of scanning all of the files for anything on the guy his sister was out with.  

"So I see."  Carter said frowning at the other man.  He'd been looking for either Ryan or Dana but Dana wasn't in the base and he'd only now found the silver clad young man.  "But you're acting like a creep and I want to know why."

"You acted like that to Dana."  Ryan said not even looking at he other man as he spoke.  

"I…"  What could carter say about that?  He didn't even know what Ryan was talking about.  He'd just told the friend about how eh thought she looked. Maybe he shouldn't have been so abrupt but she'd always been ok with that.  "So your mad about what I said to her?"  

"Hell yeah," Ryan rounded on the red ranger.  "Man she's half in love with you but your so blind you can never see what's right in front of your face."  

"She's…" carter felt his heart skip a beat, she felt…  "I never even guessed."  

"Blind."  Ryan muttered and turned back to his work dismissing carter from his thoughts.  

"Where is she?"  Carter asked a moment later and 

"She went out with some guy."  Ryan said off-handedly as he moved to a keyboard and typed something in.  

"She's on a date?"  Carter was confused, he'd thought Ryan said she was nuts about him so why would Dana be on a date with some other guy?"  

"Yeah."  Ryan muttered breaking into his friend's thoughts.  

"You don't sound too happy about it."  Carter frowned and Ryan sighed not looking at him as he ran a hand through his wavy blond hair.  

"There's just something I can't pin point about…"  Carter grabbed a chair; if Ryan was apprehensive then Carter was too.  The titanium ranger didn't get upset about just anything.  

***  

"Hey how about a walk?"  Mark asked when the movie finally ended.  They were standing out in front of the theater, just beneath its marquee. 

"I don't know it's getting late."  She murmured thinking that given how Ryan had been acting he'd probably be waiting up for her.  "My brother will probably be waiting up for me."  She explained.  

"So we'll make it a short one.  I could for one use the chance to walk off the popcorn and spaghetti."  Mark urged hopefully giving her a puppy dog look that had Dana thinking of Joel at his worst.  

"Ok but we have to keep it short."  She smiled.  

***  

"Look."  Ryan said when an image of a blonde little girl appeared on screen with another, a taller boy with the same golden hair and smiling blue eyes.  

"That him?"  

"Yep, with red instead of blond."  Ryan said then he played with the mage until it was changed.  

"According to this the girl is his little sister Mandy."   Ryan said feeling ill as he read on.  

"Miranda Maxwell, seven was injured by the titanium ranger; doctors do not believe the little girl will ever be able to walk again."  Carter read aloud, his gut twisting with every word, an image taking shape in his mind.  

"Where are you going?" Captain Mitchell asked when he came across the two men coming out of ops.  

"I have to find Dana."  Ryan told his father grimly.  

"Ryan your not…" the oldest Mitchell began but his son cut him off.  

"I know what it was I sensed when I met her date."  Ryan called to him over his shoulder as they neared the lift.  

"What?"  Carter was the one to ask.  He knew something was up and he had a feeling but he didn't want to be right.  

"Revenge."  That harshly spoken word had fear shooting through the other two men.

"I'll call the others."     The Captain told them as the lift doors closed behind them.  

TBC 

***  

Hmm, wonder if Ryan and Carter are barking up the wrong tree?  Stranger things have happened.  

Please let me know what you think, what you think should happen.  It's always helpful.  *smiles*


	7. lethal Truths

Chapter 7 lethal truths

  
"So you come here a lot?"  Dana thought to ask when they'd been walking in silence for a little while.  The path was one Dana's father used to bring her along as a child.  She'd not liked it then.  It had always reminded her of the evil forest in" the Wizard of OZ."   She still didn't like it much, especially now in the dark.  It struck her that for all of their talking she still didn't know much about this guy than the basics.  Yes he liked old movies and Pop music, flashy cars and pasta but that wasn't' what mattered.  

"I used to come with my little sister."  Mark admitted bringing Dana out of her musings.  

"You have a sister?  Just one?"  She asked leaping whole heartedly on this topic.  Gees, had he read her mind or something?  

"Yeah, our parents died when I was fifteen so we lived with our grandparents in Angel Grove."  He admitted slowly and she noticed how he scanned the shadows for unseen dangers. It was odd but it made her skin crawl.  It wasn't' him really but his sweeping gaze as if he expected danger to come at them from some dark shadow.    

"Since we moved here it's been just me and Mandy."  Mark explained and then he paused catching her arm.  "Look at that."  He urged pointing up to where a grew and white hawk perched on a nearby tree.  

"that's weird there aren't' usually hawks in Mariner Bay.  At least not free."  She amended.  

"My grandmother always said a wild bird on a date was a good Oman."  He explained why he'd noticed it.  

"Hmm, I've never heard that."  She confessed and he just flashed Dana a grin and started walking once more.  

"My Gram was very superstitious."  He explained as they neared a spot in the path where only one could walk at a time.  

the sudden chill had her going on full alert but when she made it through behind him she managed to relax a bit.  Nothing had happened.  what had she expected to happen?  What would a lion jump out at her or maybe a bear?  She nearly laughed at that image but still her unease only grew.  She thought about asking him to turn back but she was a power ranger what could she not fend off?   

***  

"Are you sure about this?"  Kelsey asked and Ryan nodded.  

"It was right there in the files."  The titanium ranger replied grimly.  How had their father just let her go on a date with a stranger after all? What if the guy had been one of Queen Bansheera's, minions in disguise? Hell hadn't he spied on Dana and the others before he'd made his debut in Mariner Bay?   

"And you just happened to find it?'  Joel asked glancing over at the newest member of their team who was in his sister's customary seat.  

"I had a bad feeling."  Ryan shrugged and glanced at the hand held monitor in his hand.  They were nearing her location, at least according to Dana's communicator's homing device.  He said ten million thanks for that one.  Now if they could just reach Dana before anything happened…  

Behind him Kelsey was thinking that it was good they'd not gone to that movie after all.  If they had it would have taken precious time for Ms.F to find and alert them to the situation.  

Beside Kelsey Chad wondered if their lives would ever be normal.  After all could they even handle ordinary things like dating?  

The blue ranger hadn't had a date since joining lightspeed Rescue but still.  

Casting Kelsey a sidelong glance Chad saw she was looking out the window.  Her usual bubbly eyes were solemn as she no doubt preyed her best friend would be alright.  Funny, he mused, they'd all become like family.  Not just with Ryan's return either, it had started long before that.    Maybe from the moment of Carter's trial by fire.  They'd understood then how one wrong more, one uncalculated step could kill them or others.  Even Kelsey, their resident wildfire, was much more careful thanks to her run in with a back draft.  That too, Chad knew was the reason he'd not asked Kelsey out, since she was like family that would be really weird and what if it didn't work out?  

Yet now as he sat there, the pretty brunette's leg pressed against his he made his own vow, as soon as this was over he'd finally do it, he'd finally do it; he'd finally ask her out.  

Joel on the other side of Chad was thinking about the insanity they lived with.  All he'd wanted tonight was to spend a little time trying to Chad up Ms. F yet here he was chasing down on of his friends on a potentially dangerous date.  

The green lightspeed ranger thought about the girl in question.  He'd not really thought much about her but that she was one of them, working to save the city of Mariner Bay.  She'd just come with his new life in the Aquabase.  Not that he minded, she was generally an upbeat girl with her moments of lost self-assurance but didn't they all go through that? It was a part of life anywhere in the world.  Even he, the sky cowboy had his lapses.  However now would not be one of those e times, they'd find Dana and she'd be just fine.  

In the drivers seat Carter was completely unaware of anything but the higher pitched sound of the homing signal of Ryan's scanner.  Since he'd read the words on the page he'd felt ill, as if he'd forgotten to eat for several days.  He knew that was a dizzying feeling after all he'd done that.  It had been part of their ranger traiing.  They'd basically been starved, isolated and then put through rigorous questioning to prepare them for getting captured.  At any rate he felt like that now, felt ill and lost.  He knew only one thing, the woman he'd loved since the beginning was in trouble and he'd not let her down.   

Hell no, he'd be there, would not let anyone hurt her, even someone who might be very disturbed.  God, if anything happened to Dana…  

"Well?"  The red lightspeed ranger heard Kelsey asked as she tried to peer over Ryan's shoulder.  

"She's on the west end of the park near the bridge."  

"We should take it on foot from the next break in the trees."  Kelsey pointed to the spot so Carter would understand exactly what she was talking about.  

"Right, we split into groups of two.'  Carter said as they pulled off the street and parked along the sidewalk.  

"Right, Kelsey you and Chad take it from…"  

The sound of a night bird had the blonde looking around warily as they arrived beyond the trees.  Dana glanced around and realized she'd never been here at night.   

Before the incidents with the demons had started she'd liked to come here to get away when her training and school and her father's expectations got to be too much.  She'd stand on the bridge and feed the ducks.  Watching the little creatures pick at the bread, or catch it mid toss always made her feel a little better.  

Heavens it had been so long, she had to be so careful since the demons had started their trouble.  She wondered if Mark came down here to get away too.  

***  

"Kelsey where are you?"  Carter called into his communicator.  He and Ryan were under the same pathway that Dana and Mark had taken earlier.  It was weird but Ryan had almost been able to sense his sister.   Now the red lightspeed ranger wondered if it had not been fate that had taken the titanium ranger to live with creatures of darkness, ones without souls and who could teach the elder Mitchell sibling more than most humans knew.  It wasn't' even the way he followed her tracks.  There were many people who could no doubt have done so with traiing but some of the other thins.  His eyes were sharper in the darkness, almost uncannily so.  

"I'm at the bridge on the other side, their here."  Came the voice of the yellow ranger and Ryan glanced at Carter in question.  

"How is she?"  Carter asked the one thing both of them were wondering.  

"She looks ok, a little distracted but ok."  Came the blessed reply and both men slightly relaxed.  Even if something happened Chad and Kelsey would be close by to help out.  

"Good, hold your position."  Carter said adding.  "Don't do anything unless he makes the first move."  

"Right."  And Carter cut off the transmission.  

"Well there's one in our favor."  Ryan muttered as they passed though the most narrow part of the foliage.  he'd rarely let his extra senses kick in but now, when his little sister's life was the reason he had, tapping into the place where he stored his immense energy.  In the short time he'd been home he'd realized he did care about Dana, a lot.  True they'd not grown up together but they were family.  That and he actually liked her, she was sweet and smart.  She could also kick Batlings from there to the moon.  Now though when the danger was not of a demonic sort she was not ready, he just knew it.  

***  

"You look a million miles away."  Mark murmured and Dana glanced up at him as she realized they were still moving, stepping out onto the stone bridge.  

"Yeah sorry, I was just thinking." 

"What I'm not interesting anymore?"  The red haired young man asked teasingly.  

"Actually I was thinking about what you said about your little sister."  Dana lied moving to rest her arms on the railing to the side of the bridge.  

"Yeah, Mandy was a really sweet girl."  Mark said and Dana caught the sad tone of his voice, one she understood.  It was how her father had often spoken of Ryan.  Dana moved to reach out to Mark but then remembered how much Ryan had hated being touched and withdrew, uncertain.  

"Was?"  She gently inquired; maybe he needed to talk about it?  

"Yeah, she got hurt in one of the attacks on the city."  Mark murmured looking first out at the water and over at her, a strange look coming into his eyes.  

"I'm sorry."  She murmured sincerely.  She'd always hated knowing that they couldn't save everyone; it was just another thing she shared with carter.  He'd been like that.  He'd come face to face with that little problem in what was it their second… third battle?   

"What happened?"  Dana asked this red haired young man now as they stood there in the night drenched park.  

"Mandy's school was on a field trip to the Collins Planetarium on the south side."  Mark said and his hands on the railing fisted tightly, as if with restrained violence.  "Bansheera's minions attacked."  He said firmly shoving his hands into his jacket pockets as if not to strike out.  

"A…"  Dana felt ill, another lost child?  God she hoped not.  To think this young man, so funny and so nice could have been through all of that pain.  

"It was just after the titanium ranger came to town."  Mark said helpfully as if wanting her to remember, t see just what had happened to see it again.  She had the feeling then, the chill and glanced around fear hitting her.  She was alone with him and…  But this was a public place right?  Besides he had to know they worked to protect all of the children, everyone in Mariner Bay.  

"Oh."  Dana felt sick, had Ryan hurt his little sister?  True he'd been tricked but…  God, she just couldn't believe that of Ryan.  

"Some Batlings attacked the bus and some of the kids got hurt."  Mark said and she felt a little better, Ryan hadn't done it himself.  

When Dana then saw his eyes she knew he was now not the guy she'd laughed with talked with but a complete stranger.  A very very angry stranger.  Maybe she could hell him?  

"We try and fight, we…"  She murmured the litany she'd had to say every time she heard about the injured, the dead.  She had to, she knew it was all they could do to live and fight the evil.  Hell it was too how she fought the guilt.  

"It wasn't enough Dana!"  And he was whirling; his eyes hard, and full of now raging fury.  Dana felt as if she were facing down a wild mustang, angry at its capture.  She instinctively backed away from him.   The unholy smile that lit that once boyish face turning it into a grisly mask of malevolence.  

"Everyone talks about the power rangers but you're just a bunch of fakes!   You can't even help kids!"  He snarled and she felt panic start to build but she had to tamp it down, had to get him to understand.  

"No, we do help, we just can't save everyone."  The pink dress clad girl tried to soothe him.  

"What you do is get your pictures in the paper and a few kicks and that's it!  If it hadn't been for that brother of yours changing sides you'd have died, just like three of those kids!"  He growled advancing on her.  

  "My brother has nothing to do with this."  She said calmly and only then did she see it, the shining knife clutched tightly in his hand.  

TBC  

***   

How's that for a cliffy?  I know it's positively wicked to leave you hanging but when the next chapter is perfected you'll have it.  Anyway what do you think?  Was it too predictable?  I was trying not to have her be scatter brained, she truly is my fav pink ranger but I don't know… I tried to imagine her in the scene and after how Dana handled Steve in "Go Volcanic" I thought this would be how the character would probably handle this.  What do you think?  


	8. 8

Special Thanks to my brother C.L. for trouble shooting this chapter.  

Chapter 8  Blades and Blasters

The stiletto was now in his hand, glittering silver n the moonlight.  Now she did consider morphing but she was not aloud, not unless fighting a monster.  No, she'd have to handle this as herself.  

"I think it's time you feel what it's like to get hurt."  He said even as he sprang forward with a panther's speed.  Dana didn't have time to flee but managed to side step his attack, whirling into a fighting stance.  

"Don't worries about taking him out, first disarm the opponent?"  Dana could hear Chad's voice then as she let him come at her, waiting until the last moment before kicking the blade out of his hand.   

Mark let out a snarl as he saw it going over the bridge and she took the moment of his distraction to bring up a knee to disable her adversary.  

To Dana's dismay the guy didn't go down like a load of bricks but ducked his head and ran at her.  She was about to side step when the sight of something blue distracted her and she missed the timing.  And his head and body weight hit her full force.  

They both went falling to the ground, Dana's head hitting hard off the stones of the bridge's bottom.  

Knowing he'd be caught Mark didn't wait around he bolted back the way they'd come.  "You take care of her, I'll get him!"  Kelsey shouted to Chad and she was running racing after him but unlike Mark Kelsey didn't wait till she reached the end of the bridge before going for the woods, she was leaping up on to the stone railing and flipping into the air landing on the path near the trees just behind the now arrive red and titanium rangers.   

***  

Carter didn't have much time to think as Joel joined in the chase.  

Now the red lightspeed ranger moved to where Chad was kneeling beside a crumpled body, one both he and Ryan knew all too well.  

"What did he do?"  Ryan growled lowly as he moved forward.  

Chad finished his quick exam of Dana and looked at him, calling for a medical vehicle.  "Apparently he went for a bodily attack and she must have seen me because she didn't side step in time."  The blue ranger said grimly.  "It looks like there might be a concussion but I can't be sure."  

Ryan knew it was his fault, because he'd been evil, because he'd come back.  God would she hate him?  Hat that creep terrorized her?  If he had the titanium ranger swore now on his mother's grave he'd kill the monster he'd created.  

"You should go help Kelsey and Joel; we can handle it from here.'  Carter told the blue lightspeed ranger.  

Chad didn't say a word as he ran off after his friends.  

***  

Kelsey came to the part of the path which was most narrow and froze.  She'd lost him.  One minute she'd been hot on his tale and now…  She tried not even to breathe; if she let this guy get away he could attempt to hurt any of them again.  She couldn't let that happen. No, she'd catch him and then the cops would take him.  

Closing her eyes she waited as Chad had taught her.  Diving right she just missed the figure that leapt from the trees above.  

The morphed yellow lightspeed ranger was ready, watching him as he leapt up to face her.  

"Too bad you rangers can't even catch a mere man."  Mark scoffed even as he and Kelsey circled each other.  Kelsey could the malaise in Mark's once striking green eyes.  

"What happened to your sister was an accident and you know that."  Kelsey said watching his feet, trying to gage his coming move.  

"What I know is that you pathetic rangers couldn't even save a bunch of kids."  Mark flipped so he landed behind her; she countered spinning before he hit the ground.  It struck her that this guy had some training.  

"Wrong, we save the city every day and yes maybe we can't' save everyone but we do what we can."  Kelsey said ducking one of his kicks and countering with a left fake and a dive right so she came up behind the guy.  

"What is that what they teach you in ranger school?  A way to sleep at night?"  Mark mocked angrily as he grunted as she tried to kick his leg out from under him.  

"What it is is a fact of life."  Kelsey dodged a kick; this guy was good, very good.  She wondered if he'd used his skills on Dana.  

"No what's a fact of life is three children on that bus died and more kids including the only person I care about were injured!"  

Kelsey was ready for Mark's next attack as he came at her, as he'd done to Dana, what she hadn't counted on was the knife, the pain as it tore into the flesh of her arm.  

Chad roared as he sprung, like a panther onto the back of the man who'd now attacked two of his friends.  

Kelsey hadn't seen him coming but as she staggered back from what was happening she saw Chad, and Mark fighting as if for the entire fate of the earth.  The blue ranger didn't take long with disarming Mark and by the time he knocked him in the family jewels Joel was behind him, a blaster at his back.  

"Go on, make my day."  The sky cowboy growled as he roughly yanked Mark's arm up behind him.  

Chad turned then to see if Kelsey was alright.  The brunette was now demorphed and trying to tear cloth from her shirt.  He frowned then when he spotted the blood staining her arm.  

"Kelsey?"  Moving forward he bdemorphed and brushed her hands away.  

"I don't think it's too bad."  

"Still we need to stop the bleeding."  

"Chad I'm fine really I can…"  

"Shut up."  The usually calm and collected blue clad young mand told her matter of factly and she saw his eyes then, with their furious light and the harsh set of his beloved jaw.  

"Chad?"  But he was briskly wrapping her arm and applying pressure as the police arrived and Joel turned Mark over to them.  

TBC

***

Well? What did you think about this?  Was it worth the weight?  I hope you liked it and a few reviews wouldn't hurt. 

PR4 


	9. Recovery

chapter9 Recovery

The hospital room was still as he sat there, looking at the face of his dreams, the pretty blonde with a heart as big as the sea.  He still couldn't believe this happened; she'd nearly died because of him, because he'd not realized she loved him.  If he'd only known he'd have told her…  He would have been out with her not looking for her not worrying about her…  

On the other side of the bed Ryan's emotions almost mirrored Carter's.  The silver clad young man couldn't believe he'd not stopped her, not said something before his little sister went out with him.  As his hand clutched her limp one he knew too it had been his doing in that if he'd not come back that little girl might not have been hurt and his little sister might not have had to pay for it.  

In the corner Kelsey sat beside the still angry Chad.  Honestly she didn't know what she'd done to upset him but she let him stew.  It had been a very long night and maybe it had all just got to him.  She was a little rough around the edges herself, after all Dana had nearly been killed.  The pain that evoked was staggering and she got to her feet and headed from the room.  

Chad was still furious with Kelsey for not having pulled her blaster on that creep. Didn't she realize he could have killed her?  It was about the only thing that had ever truly shaken him up since becoming rangers.  Now though he was having a truly hard time getting the image of that knife slashing into her arm.  It both made him ill and infuriated him.  He'd wanted for the first time in his life to kill another human being.  

Ms. Fairweather sat across the room, against the wall and behind Carter.  Both she and Captain Mitchell had meet them in the waiting room as the ambulance had brought the pink ranger in.  She'd found Joel at her side, his face grave, for once not joking or hitting on her.  No, now it was the bespectacled scientist who was beside him, holding onto his hand as they waited for their friend to wake up.  Still she too saw the grief and fear in the Captain's eyes.  They'd been like family since he'd been appointed head of lightspeed Rescue and to have both Dana hurt and this man who reminded her so much of her own father was horrible.  

"Dana, we're all here."  Carter murmured at last, his dark blue eyes intense on her pretty face as he spoke again.  "Ryan's here and your father and al of us."  

"he's right Dana, everything's ok now, Mark's finished hurting people."  Ryan added and even as he spoke the titanium ranger stroked his little sister's hand, hoping she could feel it where ever she was and know he was with her, that he loved her no matter what.  After all it wasn't her fault all of this had happened, no, it was all his fault.  

"She'd never blame you."  Carter said and Ryan glanced across the bed at the red lightspeed ranger.  Carter was watching him instead of Dana and his features were thoughtful, his eyes shining with a knowing that spoke far beyond his 19 years.  

When Carter had his full attention he went on saying.  

"Dana does what she wants, no matter what happened in the past she wanted to go out open that date and your past or not she would have."  Because I hurt her, he added silently.    

Ryan didn't reply, a part of him knew the red ranger was right, that Dana was headstrong to a fault.  the thing was he just kept thinking about that child, the whole reason for the attack tonight.  

The two men talking near their fallen friend didn't see the others leave, Chad with a purposeful stride, Joel and Angela together or the Captain with tears in his eyes. .  

***  

Kelsey walked the halls of Mariner Bay General hospital, no real destination in mind.  She just kept thinking over the events of that day of all that had led up to Dana's date with that would be killer.  She'd been so upset about her feelings for carter and then they'd gotten the makeover.  

It was funny how something so innocent could be tainted by a person hurting and angry.  She'd known that, she'd been angry growing up.  She'd never understood why her father had died or why her grandmother didn't like her.  Now though as she walked Kelsey wasn't angry about any of that stuff, in fact for two years she'd not been like that, not since her mother's passing.  Now her upset was for her best friend.  What if Dana never woke up?  What if she had more than a concussion?  God forbid what if she died?  

the tears were streaming unbidden down her cheeks now as she made her way out into the small garden chapel located in the hospital's courtyard. She then moved to a stone bench and knelt, preying for the first time in years.  

She preyed for Dana, for that very disturbed young man who'd done this to her and for Chad.  She'd never seen him so angry, it was actually very frightening to think of her very strong, very lethal friend out for blood.  She preyed for the understanding of his reasons and for her own.  Why did she have feelings for him?  He was just so blind…   Dana didn't know, maybe she was as hopeless as Dana?  But then tonight Kelsey had seen how much Carter did for the pink ranger.  Now if Dana would just wake up and see that for herself…  

She was so wrapped up in hr prayers and thoughts that the yellow clad young lady didn't realize that anyone had joined her or that the blue ranger was kneeling beside her.  At least not until she felt someone wiping away her tears.  

Opening her eyes Kelsey was slightly surprised to find it was Chad.  He looked somehow less fierce but somehow different, his dark eyes seemed somehow blank, as if there was some kind of a shudder she'd never before seen.  Usually he looked like Chad but now he was more like Ryan, his jaw not harsh but stubborn, his mouth in a frown. 

"Is there any news?"  Kelsey asked 

"Not yet."  he said softly as if not to disturb the serenity of the garden chapel.  

"Oh," Kelsey murmured and looked ahead wondering what he wanted, he'd not said much since telling her to shut up after the fight.  

"I wanted to be sure you're alright."  the blue clad young man said and she shrugged.  

"I'm not the one lying upstairs in a bed; I'm not the one who is unconscious."  She said softly.  

"Dam it Kelsey you could have been!"  the explosion so shocked the yellow ranger that she nearly jumped away.  then she recalled that this was Chad, he'd never hurt her.  

"Chad?"  

"Do you know what could have happened when you were going hand to hand?  you played with him, not thinking about what could have happened to you."  He bit out and she felt strange, was he really so upset because she could have been hurt?  Well, duh, a little voice in the back of her mind mocked, he's your friend.  

"I didn't know he had the knife."  She said looking at her hands, up at her arm where a fresh white bandage had replaced the blue of his shirt.  

"It could have been worse, if it had been a few inches over?"  He asked quietly and she once more looked up at her friend.  

"I know I wasn't thinking straight but…" She never had the chance to say another word as he grabbed her by the shoulders and kissed her hard.   

***  

The odd sounds that met her ears as she surfaced from the void of unconsciousness didn't make much sense to the blonde in the narrow hospital bed.  She could hear the voices, the concern in them but couldn't speak, her mouth was so dry.  

"I'm so…" that was Carter?  Carter Grayson?  Why was he there?  Where was there?  

"She's coming out of it."  And that was Ryan?  That was her big brother, and he was alive and so was she…  

"Ryan?" She croaked even as nothing came out.  Carter must have been watching for another hand took hers and she knew it was his, could smell him.  "Carter?"  She tried to say even as the pink ranger attempted to open her heavy lids.  

"That's it Dana, just take it easy, your safe now."  Carter urged her softy and she managed to slit her eyes for a second.    Then she realized something else, she had to be medicated for this feeling, for her mind to feel so fuzzy. But then even as she thought this she felt the throbbing, the pain all about her.  

"It…" there it was, her voice, it was so weak…  

***  

Relief flooded Carter as the eyes tried to open as he heard Dana's soft groan.  It was happening, she was waking up. Now he just hoped she would still be his Dana, his best friend, the woman he loved.  

"Joel get the doctor."  Ryan called as he too watched the girl waking.  He was happy but still a little worried, was she ok?  

"My head hurts."  Dana garbled weakly.  

"I know, but your gonna be ok, your going to be just find."  Carter said softly and there was a little laugh in his deep voice.  

***  

Kelsey could only stare up at him, her breath coming in gasps as she saw the emotions now raging in his dark eyes.  

Chad had never been as scared as he had tonight, when he sent her after that guy.  Not that she couldn't handle someone but gees they didn't know how far the guy would go to get his vengeance.  It had been what had had him pounding him to pulp when Joel had finished the fight off.  He'd seen the blood and lost it.  

Losing it was not something the blue ranger had ever really done, there had never really been a cause, not even fighting the demons.  Yet when he'd seen that monster stab her…  

"Chad?"  Kelsey finally managed to ask.  

"Yeah?"  

"Why?"  She asked her heart and soul gleaming hopefully in her glistening eyes.  

"Because I love you and I'm not going to pretend I don't."  

"You…"  Kelsey couldn't believe what he'd just said.  He loved her?  She didn't think just leaned up and kissed him not roughly but with al of the love she'd felt for him for so long.  

***  

"Everyone talks about the power rangers but you're just a bunch of fakes!   You can't even help kids!"  

Mark's words came back to Dana even as she heard the footsteps retreating down the hall.  Was he right?  Had he been right?  She'd not been able to save herself.  One minor distraction and she'd wound up with a nasty concussion.  Was it any wonder Carter didn't care for her as she had for him?  As she did…  

"It wasn't your fault."  The voice had Dana looking towards the door.  Her brother stood there holding a large pink guerilla with a silver bow about its neck.  

"Ryan?"  She asked.  She'd thought they'd all gone.  Whatwas he doing back?  

"I know that look, the one I wore after trying to ruhn from what I am."  he said coming further into the room.    "Dana, no matter what Mark said you know that stuff happens that we can't control."  

"but what if he's right?  What if we're fakes?  What if…"  Although she'd been given something for the head ache the blonde felt no bleariness.  She felt just fine.  what if your trading sides was all that kept the city together?"  

"Dana, we're only human, we do what we have to."  there was such tenderness in his blue eyes and in that deep voice.  It was funny but hearing this from him, the one who'd learned this lesson first hand seemed to help.  She used a hand to motion him into the chair beside  her and he complied wordlessly.  

"I guess.  So you taking up collecting stuffed animals?"  

"Um," Ryan blushed a red that almost rivaled Carter's morphed costume.  "I got it of you."  He said then handing the toy over to Dana. 

"he's very cute," Dana smiled at him and it was then that she felt the dizziness kicking in.  "Ryan?"  

"Yeah?"  He was leaning close, eyes gentle.  

"Stay till I fall asleep?" She implored her even as her eyes drifted closed.  

"I will."  He murmured smiling gently even as Dana's eyes closed completely.  

TBC 

***  

And there, I finally added a little Chad and Kelsey to the mix.  What do you think?  Please let me know.  I sooo love reviews.  


	10. The End

I'd quickly like to say a big thank you to everyone who's given me feedback.  It really helped during the conception right up until the endd.  

Chapter 10  Dawn's clarity

The silence greeted Dana when she once more woke.  She found it was early morning; the window shade was still drawn but not all of the way letting in a faint line of gold which streaked across the bottom of the bed.  

As her eyes scanned the rest of the room she found she wasn't alone.  Carter sat beside the bed, his head resting back against the wall as he slept.  She wondered why he was here, and when he'd come back?  When she'd fallen asleep Ryan had been with her.  For a moment she didn't think about that, taking in Carter's unshaven features, his weary expression and wondered why he just didn't go back to the base.  After all someone else could have stayed if they were afraid of the demons making a move on her while she was laid up.  He didn't need to be the one.  

Shifting she was reaching out to wake him, to tell him that when his eyes snapped open.  

"You're awake."  He said sitting up straight in his chair.    

"Yeah, Carter that can't be comfortable."  She managed to say hoarsely.  

"I'm alright, how's your head?"  He asked turning to fully face her, his hand rubbing over his stubble chin.  

"I think…"  It only struck her then that she had a killer head ache.  She didn't need to finish the sentence though, for as soon as the pain crossed her face he was reaching for the call button.  

Within twenty minutes Dana was once more laying peacefully, but awake, wondering what she should say to Carter.  She knew since he said he was staying until she got sprung she should try and say something.  She just couldn't think of anything.  

"Dana?"  Carter began quietly and she glanced over at him.  He was sitting forward, his elbows resting on his knees, his chin in his hands.   

"Yeah?"  

"I'm sorry I messed up."  He said quietly.  

"Carter?"  Dana asked confused.  What had he messed up?  They'd come to save her hadn't they?

"I know I didn't act like you wanted me too earlier when you came to see me but…" Carter began but Dana broke in frowning.  

"Carter, what are you talking about?"   She asked wondering if her Claude of a big brother had tried to help.  

"Dana when you came to talk to me yesterday I didn't exactly know what out were up to."  

"You didn't know what you wanted from me.  I thought at first you wanted a complement, you know how some girls get to feeling awkward and need a guy to say something."  He said once more rubbing his hand over his face.  "I was still trying to understand why you changed how you looked."  Realizing how that had probably sounded Carter added.  "I mean you were always pretty, your hair was like spun gold and your eyes like a clear sky."  He said not seeing how Dana's eyes widened.  "I just couldn't why you thought you needed to where that makeup."  

"Carter, you never said anything."  Her soft voice had him finally looking at her.  

"Why should I have to, you not a wall flower Dana, you know your pretty."  

"Carter," Dana didn't know how to take that, had he meant she was too flashy?  But then his description of her wouldn't make sense.  It hit her then that he was nervous.  Why? N they were best friends.  Didn't he know he could say anything to her? But she'd felt so awkward because she liked him.  So maybe he felt the same?  "Do you like me?"  She asked.  

"No."  He said a was on his feet and striding over to the window, throwing up the sash in exacerbation.  

"Oh," Dana felt as if he'd kicked her.  He didn't like her, even asked point blank.  God he didn't like her…  She felt the tears welling up in her eyes.  

"Dana, when I first met you I knew you were perfect, smart beautiful and after you tended to that little kid I knew I liked you.  I was thinking about asking you to a movie rescue or something.  When I heard about that no fraternizing rule and felt sick.  There went my hopes."  He said but he was facing the window so didn't see her expression slowly changing.  

"Carter there was no rule."  

"I know that now but then…"  He closed his eyes.  "Dana I had to try and stop what I felt, it would make me crazy being around you so much and not being able to tell you the truth."  

Dana didn't think, silently throwing back the sheets and swinging her legs over the side of the bed.  When the room began to swim she had to pause.  She knew she shouldn't get up but she had to go to him to see his face.  

"I guess I hid the feelings a little too well."  He sighed and then went on.  "I hadn't even realized how far they'd grown." 

"You didn't?"  Dana asked now standing beside the bed, yet not moving.    She was still a little dizzy.  

"Not until you'd left and Joel gave me a what for."  Carter admitted, remembering Joel's exasperation and then the news about Dana's date.  "If I'd just have said something you never would have gone out with that guy."  

"Carter," Dana started forward she hated the pain and guilt in his deep voice.  Didn't he know it wasn't his fault?  She'd been hurt but she'd made the choice to go out with Mark.  He couldn't have stopped her unless she'd wanted to stay.  Besides she'd been trying to…  

"Dana I…"  He heard the thud and turned in time to see her land on her backside on the floor.  He didn't speak, crossing to her, and kneeling beside the blonde.  

"Dana what are you doing?"  He asked gruffly as he saw the teas glistening in her blue gaze.  

"Carter, it wasn't your fault, I decided to go out with Mark, and I didn't care about anything but…"  

"Dana if I'd told you the truth we would have spent the night at a movie or doing something else together.  There would have been no reason for you to go out with him."  

"Carter…" but his mouth was on hers, hot and yet tender as if by kissing her he could convince her he was in the right and it was his fault.  Still when she kissed him back he felt giddy almost like he were about to faint.  Then there was the sound of a throat clearing and they broke apart to find Ryan standing in the doorway.   

"I um…"  Carter couldn't think of anything to say so it was Dana who came to the rescue.  

"I wanted to get out of bed and Carter didn't think it was such a good idea."  She said and Ryan just gave her a look as if to say Lame excuse sis but I'll leave it alone.  

"They said as son as the doctor checks you over you can go."  The titanium ranger said and Carter lifted Dana and set her back on the bed asking in a hushed whisper.  

"Are you ok?  You didn't get hurt when you?"  He asked concerned and she wondered how she could have ever thought he didn't love her, didn't care. 

"Carter, I'm fine."  She assured him raising a hand to trace his lightly whiskered jaw.  She'd never thought he'd look that good unshaven but then he was Carter and that could be so unpredictable.  

"In that case how about it?"  He asked brushing hair back from her forehead in a gesture that unconsciously mimicked her own.  

"How about what?"  Dana asked and neither realized that they were still whispering to intent on each other and the topic at hand.  

"A date."  He answered and she smiled at him.  

"I'd like that but Carter?"  She asked biting on her lip a little as she paused in her gentle stroking of his cheek.  

"Yeah?"  He asked wondering what she was worried about.  He knew that Ryan didn't have a problem with them together, as long as he didn't hurt her.  

"Let's not go to the park."  She said blushing a little and he just hugged her close as he smiled.  

"Fair enough."  He told her and they kissed again, forgetting further that Ryan was still there.  

 Neither saw the smile on Ryan's face or the titanium ranger back out of the room.  Yet he did and the smile on his face was real and almost jaw splitting in his joy.  

The End

***

Author's Note: And there you have it folks.  What do you think?  Please review and let me know if you liked it if you hated it or if it was boring.  


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